Always
by Thats My Name
Summary: Fang was always there for Max, supporting and loving, even when she didn't notice. And then he wasn't, and Max has to deal with the aftermath. One shot, T just in case.


_This is the longest thing I have written for fanfiction. I spent alot of time working on it, iIforgot about it for a long time, but just found it and finished. Hope you enjoy!_

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Angel lay curled on my lap, a grim expression on her sleeping face. No little girl should have that face when she should be dreaming of random gumdrops and freaking unicorns.

But at the same time, how could she _not_ look so sad? Especially after being tortured by sadistic tormentors for over a week.

Just the thought of those evil… those horrible… those evil…

Thick chains had wrapped themselves around my chest and were blinding me in my rage. Who would do something so horrific to a little girl? What had they done to my baby to make her so shaky with fear? What had happened to her in that… in that.. that…

I didn't even have a word bad enough to describe that place.

My hand suddenly jerked into a hard fist, almost shaking Angel from her fitful sleep. I slowly lowered my hand and gently swept the bangs out of her eyes.

And what about this parents business? The chances of finding any information was next to none, and if by some miracle those parents still wanted us, what would we do? Would my flock go to their _real_ homes, was I going to be left behind? Still an orphan?

Suddenly I was incredibly tired, barely able to keep my eyes open.

I heard a rustle of leaves to my left and jerked my head in that direction, one hand ready to shake the girl in my lap awake. A dark figure slowly sat up.

My heart-beat slowed. Only Fang. He got up and slouched over. Wordlessly, Fang lifted Angel out of my lap and settled her into his. He gave a quick nod over to his spot, only a small flick of his head. I smiled gratefully and practically crawled over to where his backpack was waiting. I laid my head down, and almost instantly fell asleep.

* * *

Every time I pass a mirror, she's staring at me. From the large window in Anne's living room, her eyes bore into mine. She's even haunting me from the small pond outside. Those hairy jaws always look ready snap out and grab me from her spot in the reflections, from where she's waiting for me to be like her, to turn evil.

Maybe I am evil.

It's possible. It would explain why I kept seeing myself as... as one of _them_. It would be the perfect explanation for what she keeps telling me.

And that clone, who's now buddy's with Ari. _She's_ definitely gone to the dark side. What If that's where I'm heading next? What would happen to the Flock if I was evil?

Everyday I felt about to burst with fear, suspicion, and worst of all, jealousy.

But I'm not even going to mention that hideous, ridiculous, red-haired…

So I did what I always did when things became too much, I ran. I just jumped out a window, and never stopped to think if I was going to consider coming back.

But I did come back. I always did, always would. I came back just as stressed and with all the same problems waiting for me. Nothing had been solved from my unexpected absence. Everything was the same.

Jumping in through my window, I saw a blur of black fly around the corner before my door quickly snapped shut. I found a plate filled with the dinner I had missed in my hurry to escape, with a mug full of something steaming and sweet next to it, hot chocolate.

Nothing was going right for me, and things would probably stay that way, but at least I knew Fang was still here.

* * *

Dungeons were depressing.

No, I think I was depressing. What was I doing? Sitting in this dreary place like a freaking princess? A freaking princess without a prince but a best friend who suddenly decides he wants to kiss you but then ditches when he doesn't agree with your decision.

Okay. Off topic there.

Nudge lay down and rested her head on my lap, her legs curled up into a little ball of warm and cozy… Nudgey-ness. She sighed in a distressed way.

"Max, what are we going to do?"

_Yeah come on, Max. What are we going to do?_

Unable, to come up with a decent answer, I reached down and started to rub small circles in her back, being careful to avoid the sensitive roots of the primary feathers. She sighed again, her eyebrows ruffling.

"You have absolutely no idea, huh?" Nudge said, a small smile playing on the edges of her lips. I couldn't even imagine why she was able to grin at a time like this, but her sweet innocent face pulled a tiny laugh from my mouth.

"You know me so well," I answered. The smiles slowly slipped from our faces and the cell was filled with a long seemingly endless silence.

Soon enough, Angel crawled over and nestled into my side. She sent a quick glance over at Ari, who was at the farthest corner of the cell, staring at the bars. Angel's eyes flitted to my face before pulling Total into her lap.

Total gave a dramatic moan. Thankfully, Angel shushed him before he could recite his rehearsed speech. A well-thought out poetic dialogue that would only make this situation feel even more hopeless than it is.

Soon, Angel's breathing steadied and slowed and Nudge pretended to nap. Usually, both of my girls being asleep, and peaceful would make me feel better, but my mind just wouldn't rest.

Not only was this dark, damp, horrible place seriously creepy and claustrophobic, I also couldn't stop my mind from racing to a place, possibly, thousands miles of away, where the rest of my family was. Were they okay? Why was it taking them so long to get here? Was Fang really mad enough to _not_ come?

I tucked my hand in my pocket and curled a fist around the small piece of paper inside.

_Fang's coming. Says it better not be a joke._

I let out a breath, and released the paper. Fang was coming, I just had to be patient, a virtue I had trouble learning.

* * *

Everything felt so right.

I didn't believe in perfection, but the way Fang was hugging me felt pretty damn close.

I wondered if I was wrong to feel happy. My mother was in a hospital room, unconscious and probably with extensive injuries, but all I could do was smile into Fang's shoulder and think sappy things like: _After all this time, he was always right here._

His arms were wrapped tightly around me, and mine were probably suffocating him. Gazzy snickered at us as he walked by, Nudge awed and Angel gave us a knowing smile, and once someone whispered the scene to him, Iggy wolf-whistled before the four headed off on their merry, mutant way.

Fang chuckled quietly in my ear, and I never wanted him to let go.

* * *

I hated crying.

Crying was something that whiney girls did on those stupid TV shows Nudge watches. Crying was something lonely woman did while reading romance novels. Crying was something that little kids did when they skinned their knees.

And apparently, crying was something teenage bird-girls did when their best friend/ soul mate left with nothing but a good-bye note.

I felt like such a wimp.

_Who are you!_ I scream at myself._ And what did you do with Maximum Ride?_

Remember when I used to be invincible? When I could kick an erasers ass and run away with my family, not caring what damage I left behind?

Now I was reduced to hiding in my room so the kids couldn't see me crying. Iggy kept coming in and giving me food, which I dumped into my closet so he thought I was eating. I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

See? Since when do I care about people's feelings? One person left me and suddenly I'm a ball of mushy, brokenness.

_But that one person meant everything to you, _something inside me whispers.

_SHUT UP!_ I scream at myself.

No one ever told me being heartbroken made you insane. I wouldn't be surprised if the Flock had an asylum on speed dial by now.

At least my sarcasm was still functional. I don't know where I'd be without that one character trait.

_Fang could always best my sarcasm with his quick remarks._

Damn, now I'm depressed again.

If Fang could see what he did to me, would he come back? Would he apologize and hug me close? Would he rub circles in my back? Would he promise never to leave? Would he break that promise again?

I guess I won't ever know because Fang isn't here. He _left._

And now I don't know what to do.

* * *

He's here.

Right in front of me.

If I stretched my arm out, my fingers would just brush his nose.

I can feel my face twisting into a glare without thinking. He meets my gaze evenly, not flinching like I might have hoped. He even smiles slightly. How can he smile? Doesn't he realize that he ripped apart my life and threw it in the gutter no more than two weeks ago? And his lips dare to do that horrid thing called smiling in my presence?

For a moment, I think I would do anything to tear that smile from his face. I want him to feel everything I felt when I found that note, and had to watch the Flock slowly fall apart. I feel myself tense, and my fists clench tightly.

_This is Fang,_ I remind myself. _Fang._

Iggy steps up beside me; his fingers tap the back of my hand twice. I loosen my muscles and stand up straighter. That wanna-be Max 2 steps up beside Fang, places a hand on his shoulder and whispers something in his ear.

Doesn't he remember that she tried to kill me? That she kidnapped me and tried to murder the rest of our family?

Something brushes against my arm, and I look over to see Dylan making a grab for my hand. I flinch away and step into Iggy, who easily moves to put space between us and my _perfect match._

I used to think that I had found my soul mate.

"Max," Fang says, stepping forward slightly. Gazzy pushes his way forward between me and Dylan, I place my hand on his messy blonde hair.

"We should probably…" Fang continues before trailing off at the look the whole Flock must be giving him.

He's_ right_ there.

But I've never felt so far away.

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_I would love it if you would review!_


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